Wrapped Up In Kimono Lore

NEXT BY ROD STAFFORD HAGWOOD

October 21, 2004|NEXT BY ROD STAFFORD HAGWOOD

Whenever fashion designers want to evoke exotic, they always seems to sample from the Japanese geisha -- specifically the kimono.

From now through Dec. 5, the Morikami Museum and Gardens is offering an exhibit titled "From Geisha to Diva: The Kimono of Ichimaru" that brings together Japanese textiles and the much-misunderstood geisha culture. The exhibit features 20 kimonos once owned by the accomplished former geisha and recording artist Ichimaru (1906-1997). There are also furniture, musical instruments and accessories (wigs, parasols, hair ornaments, combs).

"I think some visitors come with certain preconceived notions about what a geisha is and what a geisha does," said museum curator Tom Gregersen. "I hope when they leave they have some sense of the woman who was a geisha and maybe they'll see the geisha as a real flesh-and-blood kind of person rather than this exotic entity. The exhibit is about their arts, which were dancing, singing and accompaniment on musical instruments. And most of all, they were brilliant conversationalists."

Prior to World War II, geishas were the supermodels of their time, according to Gregersen.

"Geishas were the trendsetters for the first half of the century. Kimono fashion was a vibrant thing well into the 1920s and 1930s. But then mainland Asian militarism and going into preparation for World War II put Japan into a mode of austerity. Luxury in clothing was frowned upon and then outright banned. That's when women stopped wearing what we think of as a kimono and started wearing work garments -- trousers with tunics rather than kimonos. That's when the break happened."

The aftermath of the war left the Japanese economy and the textile industry in shambles until the early 1950s, according to Gregersen, and that meant that kimonos were very expensive -- so treasured that they have since become ceremonial wardrobe, adorned for sacred or special events only.

Admission is $9 for adults, $8 for seniors and $6 for children. Museum hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday. There will be a lecture ($7) by anthropologist Liza Dalby at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 17 on Kyoto's modern-day geishas, with an optional dinner ($18) beginning at 6 p.m. To purchase tickets, call 561-495-0233, ext. 410.

The museum is at 4000 Morikami Park Road between Linton Boulevard and Clint Moore Road off Jog Road in Delray Beach. The 16-acre park is dedicated to the living culture of Japan.

TIMELESS TRINKETS

If vintage trinkets -- all the rage now on Seventh Avenue -- give you that special thrill, then hold on to your cameo, honey.

"Today's consumers are looking for one-of-a-kind pieces," said show manager Andrea Canady.

Of course we are. Sarah Jessica Parker taught us well.

The show runs through Sunday. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday; 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Admission is $12 for a three-day ticket, which is available at the Convention Center box office. Admittance is free for children 12 and younger. For more information, visit the Web site at www.dmgantiqueshows.com.